Laikipia Senator John Kinyua proposes significant change in presidential, gubernatorial term limits
Laikipia Senator John Kinyua has proposed aN amendment to the current gubernatorial and presidential term limits in Kenya.
Kinyua’s proposition involves extending the term for governors from the existing five years to a decade, allowing leaders more time to enact lasting change and leave a substantial impact on their constituents.
The senator’s proposal aims to align the constitutional order with what he believes was the initial intent – to provide governors with ample time to execute comprehensive development plans.
The constitution, as it stands, mandates a five-year term for governors, a duration that Senator Kinyua argues may not be sufficient for leaders to fully realize and implement their agendas.
While speaking to the journalists, Kinyua points out that in many instances, the first few years of a governor’s term are often spent navigating administrative processes, building their teams, and understanding the intricate workings of their respective counties.
“Five years to be honest it is not enough for any leader to do something that Kenyans will remember for a long time, so what I would want to say is that f it is possible Kenyans to give governors an opportunity to serve for 10 years term than five years as stipulated in the constitution,” said Mr Kinyua.
While acknowledging that a five-year term has its merits in terms of maintaining political accountability and promoting democratic transitions, Senator Kinyua contends that a longer tenure could foster better continuity and allow for more substantial and sustainable projects to be initiated and completed. He proposes an examination at the halfway mark of a governor’s term, which would assess their performance and direction. This evaluation, Kinyua believes, would help determine whether the governor is on the right trajectory to achieve the set goals and justify their continuation for the full ten years.
“The order of the constitution had a clear mind that he wanted the governor to be there for 10 years but there will be an examination to the five-year term so that they can assess is he going in the right direction. It is not to say he has done the correct thing but is he going to the right direction so that he can finish in the next five years so it is a good thing for five years but in terms of tangible performance or tangible performance from the governor and president,” Said Kinyua.
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